Chapter Eleven: Nothing’s Over

---o0o---

                People in blue overalls came took Myung-soo out of his room with a stretcher. Outside, Myung-soo saw people wearing uniforms with the letters CSI written on the back. Some were talking to his mother, while others went inside with gloves and different toolboxes on their hands.

                The paramedics examined him and took pictures of his bruises, scratches, and bite marks, which made him lose it a couple of times, but his mother would always come to his side and hold his hand. After all the paramedics finished checking on his bruises,  one female CSI came up to him and asked his mother to give them some time to talk to Myung-soo.

                “Myung-soo, I’m agent Jung-won. Let me just ask you a few questions,” the CSI said after his mother left him. “Will you tell me what happened?”

                “Nothing happened, so just go and leave,” Myung-soo said while looking directly at the other’s eyes, but then both of them knew he was lying.

                “Trust me, something happened,” Jung-won said, “that’s what 40% of victims say when we ask them the same question.”

                “He’s my boyfriend, we made love and that’s it,” Myung-soo said.

                “Yeah, and commonly in these cases, that’s 30% love, 70% torture,” Jung-won said, “Myung-soo, you have to tell us what exactly happened for us to be able to protect you. If you don’t, this guy will continue hurting you, and we will never be able to help you again because its either you’re already dead before you even broke up with him or you broke up with him but he never wanted to let you go so he stalked you until he got the right time to get back at you and took you hostage to someplace where police could never see you.” Myung-soo looked at her with a surprised expression in his eyes, but it was clear he understood what the CSI meant.

                “Myung-soo, what he did to you is not love,” Jung-won said after taking Myung-soo’s hand, “He’s just your first love. There are a whole lot people who can give you the real love that you need. You’ve got your mom, your friends. Don’t be afraid to lose one person who just came in to your life weeks ago.” That moment, all that Myung-soo could do was to cry silently while clutching the CSI’s hand. “Trust me, I know.”

                “Ma’am! The police called. They said the suspect wasn’t anywhere at school,” one agent said.

                “Call everyone and proceed to the household,” Jung-won said, “We’ll have to transfer Myung-soo and Mrs. Kim to a safe house. The suspect might arrive any minute, so we have to hurry!”

                “Hurry? Why?” and all eyes went to the man who stood near the ambulance.

                “Angel,” Mrs. Kim said and at an instant, all CSI took out their guns and pointed it to Sung-gyu.

                “Wow, what a surprise. Can I just ask what is happening in here?” Sung-gyu said as he held up his hand.

                “You’re under arrest for ual harassment resulting to serious physical injuries,” Jung-won said, “we have all the evidences needed to take you in, so it’s better if you just come with us.”

                “Wait, I don’t understand,” Sung-gyu said, “are you pertaining to what happened last night? Myung-soo, tell them. Tell them that you wanted it too.” Sung-gyu looked at Myung-soo, anticipating him to speak up, but Myung-soo closed his eyes and shook his head. At that moment, the police came to him and hand-cuffed him right away.

                “Myung-soo! You wanted it too! I’m your boyfriend, you can’t let them take me,” Sung-gyu said as the police took him to their car. “You can never see me again when they locked me up. Myung-soo, don’t let them separate us!” but with every word, Myung-soo pressed his eyes tightly and covered his ears. His mother was right. His friends were right. Jung-won was right. It wasn’t love.

---o0o---

                “Myung-soo, it’s already late. Should I take you to my room to sleep?” Mrs. Kim said. Myung-soo was sitting on the couch alone, watching the movie that was showing when he the TV. Dong-woo and Sung-jong stayed with him, and when it’s time for the curfew, the police kindly offered to get both of them home safely.

                “Mom, will you stay until I fall asleep?” Myung-soo said without looking at his mother. Mrs. Kim move near him and held his son. “Of course, I can. I can sleep beside you tonight if you want to.”

                Suddenly a loud banging was heard from the door. “Mrs. Kim! Open the door! I’m with the  police, you’ve got to hurry!” As soon as Mrs. Kim opened the door, Sung-jong, Dong-woo and the CSI Agent Jung-won came in with either worry or horror in their faces. “Get in the car right now,” the CSI said.

                “What happened?” Mrs. Kim said. Jung-won drove past the speed limit, and it was a good thing that they had a siren on top of their car.

                “Angel. He…” agent Jung-won seemed to find it hard to spill the news out “he escaped from the station.”

                “And you think his coming to… hurt us?” Mrs. Kim said. The CSI glanced at Myung-soo then to Sung-jong who was still clinging at Dong-woo for dear life.

                “Yes,” Jung-won muttered.

                “But then, what exactly happened?” Myung-soo suddenly spoke, making his friend flinch unexpectedly. “Why is Sung-jong acting like this?”

                “Myung-soo,” Dong-woo started, “the police station was halfway our houses. We stopped over the station and there we found everyone… dead.”

                “Slashed…stabbed,” the CSI said, “more like with a sword. Angel did it, CCTV’s don’t lie. So we quickly went back to your house, and thankfully we found you still alive.”

                “So where are we going now?” Myung-soo managed to ask.

                “To a hospital two towns from our town,” agent Jung-won said. “I’ve been seeing blood and corpse for a long time now, but I don’t think your friends can take it.” She glanced at Sung-jong who was partly shaking,  “They need psychiatric help as soon as possible.”          

---o0o---

                Sung-jong, Dong-woo as well as Myung-soo were admitted in the hospital for a while, since all three of them needed some sort of medical or psychiatric attention. To keep everyone safe, they decided to be admitted in the same three-patient room. Myung-soo took the bed nearest to the door; Dong-woo on the next bed, and Sung-jong on the farthest.

                “Is Sung-jong going to be alright?” Myung-soo asked agent Jung-won as soon as she finished talking to the nurses in the hospital. Sung-jong and Dong-woo were now sleeping peacefully on their beds.

                “We hope so,” Jung-won looked on her watch, “it’s already 1 in the morning, why don’t you take a rest?”

                “I already napped for a while. I don’t think I can sleep anymore,” Myung-soo muttered. He looked at the figure sleeping beside him, and although he somewhat felt calm just seeing her, he couldn’t bring himself to sleep.

                “Do you want me to ask the nurse for some sleeping pill?” Jung-won said. Myung-soo shook his head as a reply. “But I think both of us can use some ice cream to calm down,” Jung-won smiled at Myung-soo’s suggestion.

                “Yeah, I think so too,” Jung-won said, “besides, I already briefed the security guards and nurses so they’ll know if Angel is in the vicinity. I won’t be gone for long.” Jung-won left the room, and Myung-soo was left to look after his mother and his friends.

                For a while, Myung-soo watched his mother sleep. She looked so peaceful. Myung-soo suddenly remembered the times when he watched Sung-gyu sleep, back when everything was bright as sunshine. Myung-soo traced his mother’s face like how he used to do with Sung-gyu. It was a first time after many years, the last time was when he was still eight.

                Myung-soo traced his mother’s brows, and smiled when he realized how similar their lips were, but then he noticed something weird. Is it just my imagination or my mom and Sung-gyu’s noses look very similar?

                Myung-soo brushed the idea away, but then after a few moments he suddenly felt uneasy. That familiar heavy atmosphere. No, not again. Myung-soo looked around and he saw, standing on Sung-jong’s bedside, the dark angel.

                “Ho-won?” Myung-soo said, “Why are you still here?” The dark angel didn’t make a move. He just stared at Myung-soo with the same piercing eyes. After a few moments, a realization took place. “No…no, no…. Jung-won!” Myung-soo said before quickly getting off the bed and running out in hopes of finding Jung-won right away.